'My head hangs in shame,' Mehbooba Mufti after tourist dies in stone-pelting
After a tourist from Chennai died after being hit by a stone during a protest on Srinagar-Gulmarg road in Jammu and Kashmir on Monday, chief minister Mehbooba Mufti said, “My head hangs in shame.” “It is very sad and heartbreaking”, she said after meeting the family of the deceased. The incident took place a day after five militants and as many civilians were killed in the restive state. 21-year-old Thirumani, who was hit in his head in the morning and was taken to Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, where he died due to his injuries. Director general of police Shesh Paul Vaid said: “Some two-three vehicles had come under a bout of stone-pelting in which the tourist from Chennai died.” The man was travelling in a group of 40 people towards the ski resort of Gulmarg when they were targeted by stone-pelters, according to reports. Opposition National Conference working president Omar Abdullah said, “We’ve killed a tourist by throwing stones at the vehicle he was travelling in. Let’s try and wrap our heads around the fact that we stoned a tourist, a guest, to death while we glorify these stone pelters & their methods.” On Monday, Kashmir’s roads and markets wore a deserted look following a strike by separatists against the deaths in Shopian during and after Sunday’s encounter. As many as 41 people – including militants, civilians and security personnel – were killed in Kashmir in April. Eighteen have died this month. -PTC News
